Total war has been declared on us, but we have forgot how to fight it

There are wars of choice, and there are wars of necessity. Wars of choice--Vietnam, Kosovo, even the Gulf War--are fought for reasons of principle, ideology, geopolitics or sometimes pure humanitarianism. Passivity might cost us in the long run. But we do not have to go to war.

A war of necessity is a life-or-death struggle in which the safety and security of the homeland are at stake. The war on terrorism is such a war. So was World War II. Fifty years is a long interval, and it shows. The habits of waging such a war have atrophied. The language we...